Let Me Take You Down…to 50 Fab Beatles Sites!

With the #SgtPepper50 celebrations fast approaching, I want to tell you about some of the most important locations associated with The Beatles career. You won’t need to travel across the universe but these places are here, there and everywhere. Some have gone, and some remain but it won’t be a magical mystery tour with this handy guide. I’ve got a feeling you’re going to love this blog, we’re sure you’ll dig it. Grab a ticket to ride and see how many of our 50 mop top spots you can visit. A splendid time is guaranteed for all!

1. 20 Forthlin Road, Allerton, Liverpool

Paul McCartney’s childhood home – I Saw Her Standing There was written in the front room!

2. Mendips, 251 Menlove Avenue, Liverpool

John Lennon grew up here with his Aunt Mimi.

3. 12 Arnold Grove, Wavertree, Liverpool

Birthplace of George Harrison.

4. 10 Admiral Grove, Dingle, Liverpool

Ringo Starr’s childhood home.

5. Liverpool College of Art, Hope Street, Liverpool

John Lennon’s school from 1957 until he was “asked to leave” in 1959.

6. Liverpool Institute, Hope Street, Liverpool

Paul and George went to school here. It is now part of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.

7. St Peters Church, Woolton, Liverpool

John Lennon’s skiffle band The Quarrymen played at the church fete on 6th July 1957. After the gig, John was introduced to Paul McCartney who went on to join the group. See also: there is a grave in the churchyard which bears the name Eleanor Rigby.

8. The Casbah Coffee Club, Hayman’s Green, West Derby, Liverpool

Music venue in Pete Best’s mums basement where The Quarrymen often played. Now open as a tourist attraction.

The Beatles played at several clubs in Hamburg during the early 1960’s. Most of them still exist as clubs and are located around the Grosse Freiheit/Reeperbahn area of the city.

12. Beatles-Platz, Hamburg

Plaza in the St Pauli area of the city where Grosse Freiheit meets the Reeperbahn, close to the site of The Beatles early concerts. The plaza is paved black to look like a vinyl record and contains steel statues of The Beatles (including Stuart Sutcliffe). The ceremonial opening took place on 11 September 2008.

13. The Cavern Club, Mathew Street, Liverpool

The Beatles made their first appearance at the club on 9th February 1961 after returning from Hamburg. They went on to make 292 appearances at the club. The Cavern is still open as a live music venue although not quite on the original site.

14. The Cavern Pub, Mathew Street, Liverpool

Across the road from The Cavern Club, take your photo next to the John Lennon statue and peruse their “wall of fame”, an exterior wall with the names of all the artists who have played at the Cavern Club since it opened in 1957.

15. The Grapes, Mathew Street, Liverpool

A pub once favoured by The Beatles, now full of music memorabilia.

16. 165 Broadhurst Gardens, West Hampstead, London

Site of Decca Studios where, in 1962, The Beatles played an audition but Decca Records decided to pass on the group, considered one of the biggest mistakes in music industry history! The building is currently used as rehearsal space by English National Opera.

17. Abbey Road Studios, Abbey Road, St John’s Wood, London

The legendary studio where almost all of The Beatles albums and singles were recorded. Their first session at Abbey Road (taping Love Me Do) was made on 6th June 1962. 20th August 1969 was the last occasion all four Beatles were together in the same studio.

18. Prince of Wales Theatre, London

The Beatles performance at the Royal Variety Performance in 1963 is considered by many to be the birth of “Beatlemania”. Also famous for John Lennon’s “rattle your jewellery” comment!

19. Ed Sullivan Theater, Broadway, New York

Site of The Beatles first US performance. 70 million TV viewers tuned in to what is now considered a milestone in American popular culture.

20. Hotel George V, Paris

McCartney and Lennon wrote much of the A Hard Day’s Night album here while playing a residency at the Paris Olympia. See also: Pathé Marconi Studios, Paris where The Beatles recorded Can’t Buy Me Love during the same period.

21. Turk’s Head pub, Winchester Rd, Twickenham

Scenes from A Hard Day’s Night were filmed here.

22. Ryde, Isle of Wight

The song Ticket to Ride was inspired by a journey Lennon and McCartney took to the Isle of Wight to visit friends.

23. Kenwood, St George’s Hill, Weybridge, Surrey

John Lennon’s house between 1964 and 1968 where he did most of his song-writing during this period.

24. Shea Stadium, Queens, New York City

Perhaps the most famous of all Beatles’ concerts was played here on 15 August 1965. Unfortunately the stadium was demolished in 2009 so you’ll have to visit the new Citi Field car park instead!

25. Empire Theatre, Lime Street, Liverpool

The Beatles played this venue six times. Their show on 5th December 1965 was the last time they performed live in their home town.

26. Chiswick House & Gardens, West London

In May 1966, The Beatles filmed new-fangled promo films for Rain and Paperback Writer – precursors of the modern music video.

27. Eleanor Rigby statue, Stanley Street, Liverpool

Dedicated to “all the lonely people”.

28. Yellow Submarine sculpture, Liverpool John Lennon Airport

The 50 foot long sculpture weighs 18 tons and was built at Cammell Laird shipyard.

29. SSE Arena Wembley, London

Then known as the Empire Pool, the site of The Beatles last UK concert on 1st May 1966.

30. Candlestick Park, San Francisco, USA

Site of The Beatles last ever concert on August 29, 1966. The stadium was demolished in 2015, the site is now part of Candlestick Point State Recreation Area.

31. Indica Gallery, Mason’s Yard, London

John Lennon meets Yoko Ono for the first time in November 1966.

32. Strawberry Fields gates, Beaconsfield Road, Liverpool

Strawberry Field was a Salvation Army children’s home in the Liverpool suburb of Woolton. The gates are a place of pilgrimage for Beatles fans. See also: Strawberry Fields is a landscaped section in New York City’s Central Park that is dedicated to John Lennon’s memory.

33. Penny Lane

A street in Liverpool near to Lennon and McCartney’s childhood homes. The song mentions several landmarks around the area including the “shelter in the middle of the roundabout” and the local barber shop.

34. Knole Park, Sevenoaks

A deer park outside Sevenoaks, Kent where The Beatles made promo films for Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields Forever.

35. Blackburn, Lancashire

As mentioned in A Day In The Life, are there really 4,000 holes there?

36. Olympic Sound Studios, Barnes, London

Where The Beatles recorded All You Need Is Love and Baby, You’re a Rich Man.

37. Rishikesh, Northern India

The Beatles stayed at Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram in the foothills of the Himalayas for several weeks in 1968. Nearly all of the songs for The White Album were written during this period including Back in The U.S.S.R., Dear Prudence and Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da. John Lennon also wrote an early version of Jealous Guy while in India.

38. Cast Iron Shore, Otterspool, Liverpool

As mentioned in the song Glass Onion, the Cast Iron Shore is a name given to the banks of the Mersey in south Liverpool due to the presence of an iron foundry.

39. Gibraltar Government Office A.K.A. British Consulate Office

Where John and Yoko were married – as recounted in The Ballad of John & Yoko.

41. 3 Savile Row, London

Apple Corps offices and the site of the famous rooftop concert on 30 January 1969; The Beatles last live performance.

42. Varsity Stadium, Toronto Canada

John Lennon records Live Peace with the Plastic Ono Band (including Yoko Ono and Eric Clapton) in 1969 – the first “solo” Beatles record.

43. Friar Park Henley-on-Thames

George Harrison’s home and studio from 1970

44. The Dakota Building, New York City

Apartment building where John Lennon was assassinated. Lennon lived here from 1973 until his death outside the building in 1980

46. Imagine Peace Tower, Videy Island Reykjavik, Iceland

Memorial to John Lennon created by Yoko Ono and opened in 2007 consisting of a tall tower of light, projected from a white stone monument that has the words “Imagine Peace” carved into it in 24 languages.

47. John Lennon Peace Monument

Unveiled in 2010 in Liverpool by Cynthia and Julian Lennon

48. Museum of Liverpool, Pier Head, Liverpool

The Wondrous Place gallery contains an extensive collection of Beatles music, clothing and memorabilia. You can watch a Beatles film and even sing along in the Karaoke booth.

49. Beatles statues, Pier Head Liverpool

World famous museum which charts the band’s career. Includes replicas of the Casbah, Mathew Street and The Cavern. To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles Story have a complete set of Sgt Pepper suits on display throughout the year.